WFARM MAR 06 - SOLAR CHARGED SCORCHES HOME

By Scott Gooley | Monday, March 8, 2010

Warwick Farm, March 6, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - True.
Kindergarten Stakes (Group 3 - Set Weights) - 1100m.
Time: 1-04.60 (Carrying 54.5kgs).
1 Solar Charged; 2 Elimbari; 3 Georgette Silk.

There was plenty of anticipation surrounding the return to racing of the two year old filly Solar Charged in the Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

The daughter of Charge Forward made her debut in November of last year with a most impressive five length win at Kensington.

Her trainer, John O’Shea immediately spelled Solar Charged and had readied her for Saturday’s event with an impressive barrier trail win a fortnight earlier.

Ridden by Hugh Bowman, Solar Charged ($1.80 favourite) show good early speed and, from her mid-field barrier draw, was comfortably able to find the front after travelling through the first 100m.

When Bowman took a hold of the filly she settled beautifully and passing the 800m mark, held a three-quarter-length of a lead over Georgette Silk with a similar margin back to Triple Crown in third.

Racing to the home turn, Bowman positioned Solar Charged three off the fence in search of the best ground.

It was evident Solar Charged was travelling well within herself and Bowman made sure the inexperienced filly made the turn before asking her for an extra effort soon after straightening.

Solar Charged responded immediately when asked to quicken and she established a three length lead that quickly was stretched to out to four lengths passing the 200m mark.

At this point, Solar Charged did run in when Bowman, using the whip in his left hand, gave her one around the tail to keep her mind on the job. With a quick change of the whip to his right hand, Bowman balanced up the filly who went to the line, easing up in the last 50m, to record a dominant four and half length win.

The well bred Elimbari ($7), who had raced at the tail of the field having an uncomfortable run in the first half of the race (see Stewards Report), was doing her best work late to claim second place with Georgette Silk holding on for third a further half length away.

The win sees Solar Charged move the top of Golden Slipper betting.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer John O’Shea (speaking before the race): “Obviously we are very happy with her. She’s made nice progression (in the three months she has been off). The key obviously today is her capacity to handle the track.

“I think predominantly Charge Forward fillies are comfortable in it. With that in mind she should be effective in this sort of ground, hopefully. If she can get through that I’m sure she will run very well.

“She’s put on about twenty kilos ... she’s twenty kilos heavier today than when she won first-up. So it’s a nice indication of nice improvement.

“We’ve got to get a wriggle on today. We need to be up where it counts today because we need to accumulate some prize money. She is here to win and hopefully she will do so.”

Trainer John O’Shea (speaking after the race): “It’s relieving. You tend not to enjoy them that much, but it’s nice that she’s got away with it and did it such lovely fashion.

“There was a little bit of anticipation. We’d love to get there (Golden Slipper) and win a major for Peter (owner Peter Horowitz) again. Hopefully this filly will be the one.

“We know she handles the rain affected ground now. She can box seat as well and has got lovely gate speed without being too silly. She’s got a lovely fluid action and she looks to be the ideal sort of two year old.

“I think we need to give her another run before the Slipper. Just for a bit of seasoning. She wobbled late and I think you wouldn’t want to do that in a Golden Slipper, irrespective of your ability, so we’ll just toddle off to the Riesling in a fortnight.”

Jockey Hugh Bowman: “She’s the real deal.

“It was a bit of a test for her against quality opposition today. She was going up a lot in class, but we expected her to perform the way she did and it was lovely to see her do it.”

“She’s a natural two year old. From the first time I trialled her back in the spring and she went on to win her first start. She feels like she just lengthens. You don’t feel her quicken which is always a good sign.

“She speaks for herself. She doesn’t need me to tell you how good she is.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Georgette Silk jumped away awkwardly. Triple Crown shifted out at the start and bumped
Elimbari. Shortly after the start Elimbari was then buffeted between Triple Crown and Gold
Arena, which shifted in away from Solar Charged.

Elimbari over-raced in the early stages and had to be restrained off the heels of Gold Arena. On the home turn Agister became momentarily unbalanced after laying in and making contact with Gold Arena.

Solar Charged ducked in passing the 200m.

A post race veterinary examination of Agister revealed the colt to have abilateral mucous nasal discharge. Trainer Mr A Denham was advised that a veterinary clearance would be required for Agister prior to its next start.

Trainer Mr C Conners reported that Georgette Silk had been galloped on on its near-hind leg and was feeling the effects of a hard run. Mr Conners undertook to report back to the Stewards on the progress of Georgette Silk subsequent to the event.